Monday, July 27, 2015

Revisiting David Hicks Carpet

Around the time I started blogging, David Hicks's carpet designs were all the rage, just as they had been when first introduced decades ago. Everywhere I looked, I saw hexagons, octagons, and the rest of Hicks's favored geometric shapes and patterns. But because Mr. Hicks's designs were all anyone seemed to talk and blog about, I lost interest, choosing instead to focus on other topics that had not yet reached critical mass.

Almost ten years later, though, David Hicks carpet is back on my mind. I was recently looking at photos of Hicks's later work, and I was reminded of the range of his carpet designs, many of which are no longer in production. Take, for example, the carpet sample in the photo, seen above. According to Suzanne Trocme's Influential Interiors, this Brussels weave carpet was produced by Avena carpets. Like most of Hicks's floor-coverings, this carpet boasts a geometric pattern, but because it is small-scaled, it appears much less bold than some of his more famous designs . The colorway is quite attractive, too.

Then take a look at the carpet in Hicks's Oxfordshire home, which can be seen in both the second and third photos, below. This particular Hicks carpet possesses the verve for which the designer was so well-known, but its neutral tones help to tone down the swagger. In fact, look how well the carpet works with those voluminous- and fetching- curtains. And speaking of fetching, what about that carpet in the blue bathroom, also seen below? Hicks originally created this carpet for the Prince of Wales, which explains the inclusion of the feather-motif within the overall octagonal pattern. If you look at the fifth photo, a scrapbook of David Hicks's carpet designs, you'll see a rendering of this Prince of Wales pattern, minus the feathers.

I've included a few additional photos that show other Hicksonian carpets and rugs, all of which I think are ripe for reissue. To me, these examples have the flair and pizzazz that people still desire, but they're not quite as brazen as those designs that were all the rage almost a decade ago.

What enjoyable rooms - the colours, furnishings and the carpeting. The circular pattern looks interesting.It works with the fabric on the dining chairs. I'm a new fan of David Hicks. Thanks for this post!